Umatalia: Stella
by GirlInTheMask
Summary: When Stella, a Maremmano horse, is born, Italy is in love with her at first sight. But when Stella escapes rustlers and spends three years in the wild, will she be able to find her way back home? And remember her best friend?
1. Love at First Sight

_Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia (But I wish I did!)_

* * *

 **Umatalia: Stella**

Chapter 1 – Love at First Sight  


What? That was the first question on her mind. What had happened? What was going on? What was she doing here? Where was here? She didn't know any of the answers. All she knew was that she was scared. The foal let out her first whinny, and quickly opened her eyes. It was dark. Very dark. Only pitch black seemed to stretch above her, splattered and painted and sprinkled with white everywhere. There was also a white circle hanging in the center. What was this place? And how did she get here?

Again, she didn't know. And when she heard a soft snort, that only made her wet hair stand on edge more. The foal looked up to see a tall black shadow towering over her. She wanted to hide. Yet didn't know if she could. But then, as the shadow moved down toward her, all she saw were a pair of eyes that looked loving and happy to see her. And somehow, she knew who she was. Just realizing that made the foal so happy, she whinnied again.

Just as quickly, she also realized she was hungry. Could her mother help her with that? It seemed so, until the foal finally saw the four long, lanky legs underneath her. It seemed she would have to use them if she wanted to be fed. And her mother knew that just as well. She nudged her gently.

 _Come now_ , she said. _Get up. You can do it._ But could she? Still, her mother sounded so encouraging, the foal decided to give it a try. Using her front knees, she raised her back legs up, then slowly started doing the same with her front legs. But just as she was trying to balance, the foal fell forward face first into the ground.

Her mother snorted. _It's alright. It's not unusual to fall the first time. Just try again. I'm right here._ Deciding she might as well, the foal did try again. And fell over. A third try. A third fall. But then, on the fourth time, she finally believed she was starting to get the hang of it. And just as she did, she felt that growing hunger in her stomach.

Without wasting any more time, the foal went to her mother's side and nursed until she was filled. As soon as she was done, her ever gentle mother began licking her all over, from her ankles to her ears, until she was completely dry. And that was when a new sensation came over the foal, released in a big, wide yawn.

 _I feel kind of funny_ , she said. Her mother lowered her head and lovingly licked the white mark on the foal's forehead.

 _Sleep now, little one_ , she said to her. _Tomorrow I will teach you all I know about your new home._ Before she was completely finished speaking, the foal settled herself into the comfortable, soft grass beneath her, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep while her mother stood guard over her.

* * *

Italy could hardly believe it. But the evidence was right in front of him as he leaned over the fence early this spring morning. Aurora had had her foal. A filly. She slept like the baby she was in the middle of the field where Aurora had been left last night. And she was the most gorgeous thing Italy had seen in awhile. Without thinking twice, he let out a laugh of exhilaration and jumped the fence. He raced over to the foal and gave her a great big hug, but not before she awoke.

At first, Italy was totally oblivious to the filly's crying whinnies and attempts to get up and get away. He was that happy to see her.

"Ho ho!" he exclaimed. "I'm so glad to finally see you _molto bella_!" He then put a big smacking kiss on her forehead. But then, when he looked at her again, the foal looked up at him with wide, almost scared eyes. Italy immediately calmed down and stopped hugging her, and began to think about what he was doing.

"I'm so sorry," he said, toning his voice down. "Did I frighten you?" He then tried to pet her, but the filly quickly moved her head away.

"Hey, I don't bite," he said. Italy then smiled down at her and added, "But I do kiss!" He leaned down and gave her a more gentle kiss. After which, he held out his hand. After a while, after simply staring at it, the filly began to lick it, making Italy laugh. That was when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"I hope you're not doing something stupid like scaring ze foal." It was Austria, and as usual, he was frowning with disapproval.

"I was just saying hi to her," Italy said, clasping his hands behind his back as though he'd been caught doing something bad.

"And throwing yourself at her is your vay of saying hi?" Austria asked. "And when she's not even a day old yet?"

Italy shrugged his shoulders. "It works for the other ladies!" He then skipped toward the fence and jumped over the other side, while Austria leaned over it to get a better look. Italy quickly joined him. And the two watched as the filly picked herself up off the ground and started nursing.

"I don't know vy I let some of your Maremmanos stay with my horses, especially when one of them is – vas – pregnant," Austria said.

"But...?" This Italy asked because he noticed a smile growing on his old guardian's face. Austria gave it up by letting out a sigh.

"But, Aurora had a very lovely foal," he admitted. Italy happily nodded in agreement. And that was when he really got a good look at thew new foal. She had a beautiful cherry bay color, with a black as night mane and tail. Her eyes were large and amber-colored like his. And...he couldn't resist pointing it out.

"Hey, look!" he said, pointing, causing the foal to look right back at him. "She's got a curling strand of hair just like me!"

"Zen I do not vant to know what happens ven you pull it," Austria said. "It's one thing with you, but with a horse..." Austria shivered.

That was when Italy noticed something else special about the filly. And he pointed it out to Austria as well. "Do you see that white mark on her forehead?"

"Ja, vat about it?" Austria asked, almost as though he weren't interested. But Italy didn't notice. He pointed at it with his finger.

"Look, see?" By now, he was leaning so far over the fence, he nearly fell on the other side. "It's shaped like a diamond. Almost like a..." He trailed off, and his face lit up, as he suddenly thought of the perfect name for this new filly. "I've got it!" And now he did fall over the fence. But he quickly got back up again.

"Stella!" he smiled a full-toothed grin. But all Austria did was raise an eyebrow at him. Italy pointed at the filly. "That will be her name. Stella!"

Now, Austria shrugged his shoulders. "A nice enough name, I suppose. But she's your responsibility, remember?"

Italy saluted him. " _Si, signore!_ " And as Austria stood up to leave, all Italy could do for the rest of the day was watch from his seat on the fence at his brand new filly. His new pride and joy. His Stella.

* * *

Six months later, Italy continued to watch as Stella tried to play with the other horses. He felt a bit sorry for her since there weren't any other six months old to play with her. But whenever she saw him, she always came right up to greet him, nudging at his hand for a little treat or scratch behind the ears. No matter how Italy felt on a particular day, seeing Stella just seemed to make it brighter. There probably wasn't even a day where he didn't go to bed giggling about something she'd done.

And now he had something extra special for her. He waved his hand. "Stella! _Mia cara!_ " he called, using the special nickname he'd given her. When she turned and saw him, she hurried over as fast as she could.

After ruffling up her beautiful black mane, Italy felt practically giddy about what he had in his hand for her. "Guess what I have for you today?" He then quickly pulled it out from behind his back. "Ta-da!"

At first, Stella tilted her head in confusion at him, so Italy decided he'd explain. "It's a white flag! It's what you do when you surrender! I made it myself! Don't you like it!" He then held it out to her. And after a few more minutes of staring and trying to make sense of the present, Stella took it into her mouth. She then tossed her head, flapping the flag, making Italy laugh and clap with delight.

After which, he couldn't help but get down off the fence and embrace her. But of course, he never did it nearly as hard as when he first saw her. "Oh, Stella. I can't wait until you're finally a mare. By then I can teach you how to let me ride you! What do you think of that?" Again, she tilted her head at him, but Italy only hugged her again.

"Never mind," he said. "I'll tell you when we get there. For now, you're just my sweet, sweet lady. Then again, you'll always be!" He laughed again, got back up on the fence, and continued to watch her for the rest of the day until the sun finally went over the horizon, casting a beautiful, haunting light on her blood bay coat.

* * *

That same day, after Italy left, Stella was almost disappointed to see him go. She could hardly believe what had been forged between them in the past few months. At first, she'd been nearly terrified of his ecstatic and almost unpredictable ways. But then she found they actually were a lot alike, and different, in the best ways possible. If she was nervous about something, he would comfort her. And when she played, he always laughed. And how she loved to hear that laugh.

Suddenly remembering what he'd brought her, Stella trotted back over to the end of the field where she'd left it. Taking it up into her mouth, she tossed her head up and down to make the white sheet flap. Until she heard her mother's familiar snort behind her. Stella turned around to face her.

 _And what have you got there?_ Aurora asked. Stella tossed her head again to show her rather than just tell her.

 _It's a present Italy gave me earlier_ , she replied. _You like it?_ Then, coming up with a better idea, Stella cantered around in a circle, the flag still in her mouth.

 _Well, you seem to like it well enough_ , Aurora said. Stella nodded her head and whinnied before dropping the flag.

 _Still_ , Stella said, _I wish I knew why humans make these things. Italy seemed to be excited to give it to me._

 _As I've always told you, sometimes the ways of humans will remain a mystery_ , Aurora said in that wise way of hers. _But, for those who keep us well-fed and sheltered, who are we to argue?_ She then turned away and started heading toward the other side of the pasture, before turning her head around again. _Are you coming? It's getting dark._

Still feeling full of energy and not nearly as tired enough to sleep, Stella shook her mane. _I think I'm gonna go play some more._

 _Well, don't take too long_ , Aurora called after her, _Any day now we could be spending our nights in the barn._

Her mother did have a point. The days were getting colder. But for now, Stella didn't care. As far as she knew, she could go on playing the whole night. Prancing, kicking, frolicking. Wait... What was that? Stella looked back where something had caught her eye, and it turned out to be a big hole in the fence. How did that get there? She didn't see it earlier today. But, what any real harm was there in going to see what was on the other side? She'd never been outside the pasture before. And she was already six months old. So, why not?

After making sure no one, human or horse, was watching her, Stella quietly made her way to the hole in the fence and went through it. Instantly, she shivered, but not from the cold. It already felt so different. And so...thrilling. And besides, she'd always wondered what lay beyond those trees near the pasture. Just a little look wouldn't hurt. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

She trotted over to the trees, all the while knowing in the back of her mind she probably shouldn't do this. Her mother had always told her about the possible dangers beyond the fence. But still, she kept going. She made it past the trees and walked through their shadows, taking in all the wonderful new scents... And one that made the fur on her coat and the hair on her mane stand up.

Before Stella knew what was happening, she felt human hands grab her, much more roughly than even that first day when Italy hugged her. Someone then also hitched a tight rope around her neck. But in the darkness, she couldn't see their faces, only their silhouettes. Who were these people? What were they going to do to her? Scared and confused, she cried out for anyone, human or horse, to help her. _Let me go!_ she neighed. _Someone, help me!_

"Shh!" she heard some, a human, hiss. "Someone quiet the filly before she alerts somebody!" That was exactly what Stella tried to do again, louder this time. But then, another human hand shoved what felt like a cloth to her nose, and her nostrils were filled with a heavy scent. Just as quickly, she felt all her previous energy drain out of her almost instantly. Before she could do anything about it, the filly fell sideways and was plunged into complete darkness.

* * *

 _Reviews would be appreciated._


	2. A Familiar Face

**Umatalia: Stella**

Chapter 2 – A Familiar Face  


 _Three years later..._

Stella's eyes flew open and her head shot up as she was abruptly awoken. By a haunting dream. One that felt eerily familiar. As if desperate to physically shake it off, she shook her mane and used her knee to scratch above her eye. But then, as she looked around at the rolling green hills, the mountains that seemed to stretch endlessly across the horizon, and the blue sky above sporting dozens of white, puffy clouds, Stella knew. It had been a dream. One of a bad time she would always remember.

She was only six months old when she escaped those rustlers. Where they'd planned to take her, she hadn't known where. All she'd known was that she wanted to be free. And she eventually found refuge here, for the last three years. Years that seemed intensely long one moment, and strikingly short the next. Had it really been that long? But that wasn't the question that haunted her most ever since. Why couldn't she remember much from before she was captured?

She didn't know. And didn't think she'd ever know. All that seemed to matter was that she'd found a place to sustain her, rearing her from filly to mare. Feeling thirsty, Stella walked over to a familiar watering hole, and stared down at her reflection. Same cherry red coat, same midnight black mane, same amber eyes, same hair curl, and the same white diamond marking. But that was where all the familiarity seemed to end. Beyond that frightening time of captivity, she barely remembered a thing.

After taking a refreshing drink, Stella suddenly smelled ominous. She slowly turned her head, and found herself staring down a gray wolf. Monstrous things. Though they never tried to approach her, which was wise of them to do so, she never let her guard down, even while she slept. She hadn't survived this long to become some wild dog's food. Then again, she hadn't done it by courage, exactly, either. She never ventured far from the hills, knowing she'd probably gotten trapped after getting a little too curious.

Still, as the wolf left, Stella found herself almost envying him. He knew where he belonged. She hardly had a clue. But where could she go? And what would she do if she did find a place? The only humans she really remembered were those who'd caught her. And she steered clear of them as much as she did wolves. But as each day began and ended with her being alone, she found herself getting to a point where she couldn't take it. Not anymore.

Stella shook her mane again. She was a mare now, no longer a gangly foal. She couldn't stay here forever, however safe it had been. Even though she couldn't really remember everything about her past, she had the faintest recollection that she'd been loved dearly by someone. Another horse? Perhaps, most possibly her own mother. A human? Certainly not. But the nagging feeling remained. And if she didn't know it any more before, Stella knew for certain she had to do something about it now.

Taking the chance, but one with the least amount of risk, Stella turned her nose to the sky, and decided she would follow it wherever it led her.

* * *

Italy hugged his knees to his chest as he looked out at the pasture from his room in Austria's house. As the sun almost finished its daily descent, he grimly recalled one of the most awful days of his life. He couldn't believe it'd been nearly three years since Stella had gone missing. The day after he gave her that flag, he found Aurora in the pasture without her beloved filly, going so crazy she had to be stabled in order to calm down. And just like her, Italy had no idea where Stella had gone.

All he saw was the white flag he'd given her, near a gaping hole in the fence, one he didn't remember seeing the day before. Had she made the hole? Had she gone of her own free will? Nonsense, she couldn't have. She wouldn't leave her mother. Nor would she leave him... Would she?

"Vould you stop sulking about like you're going to a funeral for pasta?" he suddenly heard Austria ask. Italy made a small jump in surprise.

"Why?" he asked, when a frightening thought struck his mind. "What are you talking about?! Is there a shortage of pasta?!"

"I'm not as stupid as I look," Austria said as he entered the room. "I've seen Aurora sulk about all day, too."

Italy, in a rare and sudden move, came back down to Earth as he remembered what upset him in the first place. "I just...I just wish I knew where she was. I wish I knew she was okay." He turned around in his seat and continued to stare out of the window, a depressed look on his face.

"I'm sure she is," Austria tried to assure him. "She vould be a mare by now. And likely a very beautiful one at that. Being a domestic horse she probably didn't go out on her own. More zan likely she vas probably stolen."

Italy spun around again to face him. Austria hissed and bit his lip, biting at his failed attempt. "What do you mean?!" Italy asked, his voice as desperate as before. "Why would someone want to steal her from me?!"

"I'm simply speculating," Austria once again tried to calm him, while trying to stay calm himself. "Like I said, she was, and still is, a very pretty horse. She vould have paid a hefty price for any potential rustlers, either for the black market or for ransom. Like I said, it's all just a guess."

His guess only seemed to make it worse. To think of Stella, his beloved Stella, in the hands of black market rustlers... Italy didn't want to think of it. And he didn't want to remain here. As soon as Austria left, Italy hastened through the house and walked outside toward the pasture where Aurora was. Just like he was moments earlier, the mare was staring out into the forest, where her beloved filly had gone missing. Italy wished the horse could tell her what'd happened, but, all he could do was gently stroke her neck.

"I know, _mia bella_ , I know," he said softly as Aurora leaned into his comforting touch. "I miss her, too." And just then, as though she didn't want to think of it any longer, Aurora turned and walked away from him. Italy knew how she felt. He suddenly wanted to be alone to. And there was always one place where he could do just that.

After making his way through about a dozen patches of trees and shadows, Italy soon found the small field he discovered when he first came here. It was a great place to come and relax all by himself. Watch the clouds roll by. Greeting the woodland animals. And... Italy allowed himself a small smile. After finding a comfortable seat on the great big rock in the center of the field, he hugged his knees to his chest again, and started singing his favorite song.

* * *

Stella shook her mane as she finally came to a halt after a full day of galloping and hardly stopping. She needed some water. Fortunately, just nearby, she found a small watering hole and quickly quenched her thirst. She hadn't had such a satisfying drink, or day, in her life. She hadn't found what she believed was her home yet, but she had to believe she was making some sort of progress. She'd followed her instincts, though there was also simple guessing. After spending half the day headed a certain direction, she'd finally come upon a familiar scent.

And she went for it. It smelled of nostalgia, happiness, contentment, days of playful running, jumping, and kicking. The unknown days of her foal-hood. But Stella still remained on guard. She had never gone in this particular direction before, and any number of dangers could have awaited her. But she'd be ready for them. And she'd come this far in the day without a single incident. She was almost ready to lower her head and sleep for the coming night. Until a new sound, one she hadn't heard in a long, long time, but nonetheless spoke to her memory, reached her ears.

She immediately raised her head, and her ears twitched. Stella knew she'd heard this sound before. What did humans call it? Music? Yes, that was probably it. But this music seemed more familiar than anything she'd ever heard in the last three years. Not that she'd heard much anyway. Perhaps she did come in the right direction after all. But there was only one way to know for sure.

Her guard still up, Stella slowly made her way through the evergreen trees, the shadows stretching over her in an ominous way. It was like she'd been in this sort of situation before. But, would it end badly for her now as it did before? Still, following the sound of music that got a little louder with every move, Stella kept moving forward. She now believed she was hearing what the humans called singing. She could even hear the words.

"Draw a circle, that's the Earth. Draw a circle, that's the Earth. Draw a circle, that's the Earth. I am Hetalia." That voice. She... Did she know it? She thought she did. She couldn't be imagining it. Stella moved closer toward the sound of the high-pitched male voice. She still listened as he continued to sing. "All the world around us can be seen through the stroke of a single brush. And now we give a toast with our boots. Hetalia!"

She did know that song. Yet it was as if she couldn't pinpoint where and when. She continued to follow in the direction. And she froze right behind a tree as she saw a human she immediately recognized. He looked young, about the age of a stallion in horse years. He wore a blue military-style suit. He sat on a rock in the middle of a field with his knees close to his chest, his amber eyes looking toward the sky. And he also had a long single curling strand of hair. Just like her.

But what was his name? That was the one thing she couldn't remember about him. She wanted to approach him, yet still didn't know if she could. She'd avoided humans for as long as she could. And that was a habit she wasn't sure she wanted to break. It'd kept her safe. But, now that she saw a human she seemed to automatically know just by looking... Stella stopped dead in her tracks as she hit a rock with her hoof. She quickly hid behind the tree again. But the human male had noticed.

"Hello, who's out there?" he asked. "Come on out. Don't be shy. I'm an expert at hide and seek!" Knowing she'd be found sooner or later, Stella mustered up her courage to face the inevitable. Reluctantly, she forced herself to walk out from behind the tree. And though she thought the shadows might protect her, the human's eyes went wide with disbelief as he beheld her. For the longest, yet shortest time, all they did was stare at each other. It was as if the world stopped spinning.

"No," the human said, breaking the silence. "It cannot be." Stella couldn't move. It was as if her hooves were glued to the ground.

"Stella?" the human spoke again. "Is...is that really you?" The mare felt a strange sensation move through her when he said her name, which she had almost forgotten as well. But just then, the male began to move toward her. Stella took a couple steps back, letting out a nervous snort. But the human's tone and body language remained gentle.

"Stella, _mia cara_ , it's me," he said, trying to smile while the mare thought about what he'd just called her. "Don't you remember me? Don't you remember your Italy?"

Stella involuntarily snorted again. She did remember that name! She remembered the human who it belonged to! But still, that didn't make all the harsh memories about the humans she'd dealt with go away. The human, Italy, continued to slowly move toward her, while she stood where she was, trying to decide whether to move at all or not.

"You do remember me!" Italy exclaimed, the grin now wide on his face. It wavered for a moment, but it quickly returned as he spoke. "I wish you could tell me where you've been all this time... But, that's okay! You're back now! You're back with me!" He still walked toward her, his hand now outstretched. But Stella nonetheless felt startled. Those memories were returning with a vengeance. She began making small anxious noises.

"It's alright, Stella," Italy said, his voice softer now and his hand closer. "You know I would not hurt you. That's it. Just let me touch you."

It was too close. And Stella's protective instincts kicked in. Right before Italy could touch her, she spun around and neighed as she fled the scene. Would Italy follow her? He didn't seem to be, since she couldn't hear his footsteps on the forest floor above her hoofbeats. But she didn't care. No. She didn't want to care. She'd survived this long on her own. Without the help of humans. Who was to say she couldn't do it any longer? Who was to say...?

* * *

Italy couldn't move for a minute or two. Had he really seen Stella? Or had he just been dreaming? No. He couldn't be. Though he hadn't touched her, he had felt her breath on his fingers. And that was enough to tell him this wasn't an illusion. Yet just as quickly, he'd let her slip through his fingers. He simply stood there as he continued to wonder. Why did she flee him? What had happened to her throughout the years she was gone?

Suddenly, Austria's theory about her being stolen by rustlers didn't sound that far-fetched. They must have treated her really rough, more than rough, for her to react like that. Still, it hurt his feelings to know that she didn't trust him anymore like she used to. What had happened to the carefree, perky little ball of starlight that used to be his favorite filly?

Well, even if she was three years old now, and an independent mare, Italy still didn't want to let her go. After all, she'd found her way back here, probably without any sense of direction other than her instincts, after being who-knew-where. That alone was enough to give him a sense of hope. Hope that he could reach into the old part of her he still knew was there. Even as he turned around to head back to Austria's house for the night, there was one thought in Italy's mind more important that all the rest.

 _Please don't leave, Stella. I'll be here waiting for you. To anyone else, you may be a wild horse. But you're_ my _wild horse. You're still_ mia cara.

* * *

 _Reviews would be appreciated._


	3. Getting to Re-Know You

**Umatalia: Stella**

Chapter 3 – Getting to Re-Know You

After returning to Austria's house, and reminding himself multiple times not to tell Austria and Hungary, Italy quickly concocted a plan to get close enough to Stella and retrain her to get used to humans, starting with himself. It seemed simple, but it would take a lot of patience, and he wasn't the most patient type. Still, Italy knew he'd wanted Stella to return to him. He'd wanted that for three long years. And since she seemed to recognize him, hopefully it wouldn't take that long for her to get close to him.

The following evening, after getting away from Austria as inconspicuously as he could think of – by setting a small fire in the kitchen – Italy rushed outside and headed through the trees and toward his field. Once there, hoping she would hear him again like she did last night, Italy sat on the rock and started singing. "Draw a circle, that's the Earth. Draw a circle, that's the Earth. Draw a circle, that's the Earth. I am Hetalia." As if on cue, Italy heard a whinny behind him. It was small and faint, but he was sure it wasn't the wind. A thrilled grin spread across his cheeks.

And there she was, a faraway shadow slowly and slowly getting bigger as she started coming closer, the star on her forehead for which she was named the only thing giving her away. But just over a dozen feet from him, she stopped, as if she'd set a boundary. Italy knew she would. And he came prepared. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the treats he'd brought her, and started walking forward. With every step he took forward, Stella took a step back, as if to say, "No further than this line."

And he wouldn't go any further than she wanted him to, for now. For a while, they only stared at each other. Stella, as if she waited for Italy to make a sudden move. But he was only now getting a really good look at her.

The once prominent shine on her red bay coat was now gone, covered with dust and dirt. There were burs in her mane and tail. Even her star seemed to have flecks of mud on it. And, as he looked closely, he spotted small scars on her neck and front legs. Not that noticeable, and certainly not life-threatening, but they were clear marks of what Stella must have endured while she was away. But there was still life in her eyes, a glimpse into the carefree ways of a joyous time long past. When the time came, he would find a way to restore the rest of her beauty.

Their eyes still locked on each other's, Stella stood firmly where she wanted while Italy slowly bent down, and left half a dozen bits of carrot for her. "I know how you used to love these," he said softly to her while smiling. "Just a little thing for _merenda_." Then, still looking at her, he began to back away just as slowly as before, until he finally turned around and started to walk away.

He only risked a look back when he heard the familiar sound of a horse biting down on something. And his smile only grew when he saw Stella eating the carrots he'd left for her. She ate them up just as fast as she used to when she was a filly. Italy felt warmth in his chest. "I'll be back tomorrow with more, _mia cara_ ," he whispered. And then he left her in peace until he started rushing back to the house, hoping to make it back before Austria and Hungary could miss him.

* * *

At first, Stella couldn't understand why Italy had done this. She knew the ways of humans were strange, but that didn't stop her from trying to comprehend them. She also knew that she'd known Italy in her early days, but it had been so long since then that she didn't want to trust any human at all. But what Italy had done for her just now, no other human had done for her in the last three years. She was much bigger than him. She could have hurt him. Not that she wanted to, but that was how she treated every other human she saw.

And all of them reacted the same way. They all ran away. But Italy was different. Instead of fleeing her yesterday, he tried to touch her. Instead of staying away from her today, he brought her sweet carrots that were yet another reminder of her sweet past. As she still focused on their lingering taste, she found herself wondering if she in fact wanted to see Italy again. Not just for the treats, but, just for himself. She had made a boundary, and he hadn't crossed it, but the feeling was still there.

And soon there was another, different feeling, one that made her eyelids seem heavy. Stella allowed a yawn to escape her mouth. It had been a long day. And another spent entirely alone. Well, maybe not entirely. But that was all she could be, for now anyway. After finding a good place to rest her eyes, while letting her ears stay alert, she welcomed the darkness.

The next morning, after sleeping without incident, Stella shook her mane, and quickly remembered to do another important part of her daily routine. After finding a bed of sand next to a waterhole, she wasted no time getting down and rolling around in it. A protective coat of sand was always needed to keep biting flies away. Plus, for as long as she could remember, it was just fun to do.

When she was done, she shook her mane of excess sand and scratched an itchy eye with her knee. Stella then got back up, and it wasn't long before she discovered a patch of sweet grass to feast on. And all the while she found herself wondering whether or not Italy would come again with some carrots tonight.

He did come. And the night after that. And the night after that. Before Stella completely knew it, two whole weeks had passed. A full fourteen days of meeting Italy in what had become their own special meeting field. Each evening played out mostly the same, though. Italy came, Stella would remind him of the line she'd drawn, and Italy would only leave the carrots on the ground for her before walking away. As Stella ate them every night, she found herself looking forward to seeing him again more and more every day.

But then, on the night after those two weeks, when Stella expected the same thing to happen again, Italy did something not so different, yet fundamentally so at the same time. He stood in his usual spot, at the usual time in the late evening. But instead of putting the carrots down on the ground, he held them out toward her. She tilted her head at him, and she felt a bit of her old anxiety return. She spent the next few minutes trying to figure out why he was doing this, when it suddenly hit her.

At the same time, Italy raised his eyebrows at her, as if he knew what she was thinking. "I know you want them, Stella," he said softly. "But you're gonna have to come get them this time." His smile wavered a little bit. "I want you to trust me, Stella. I want us to be friends again. Plus, my arm is getting pretty tired so, if you could..."

He trailed off, forcing Stella to think. For one thing, she didn't know if she liked what he was doing. She had set the boundary. And she'd survived for years on her own terms. But that, of course, came with a price. All those days spent alone were finally catching up with her. Could she really do what Italy wanted? Was he really so different from all the other humans she'd known? He said he wouldn't hurt her. But with humans, you couldn't always be sure. Still, that sense of loneliness and the desire for that friendly offering in his hand moved her to take one step forward.

At a snail's pace, Stella walked toward Italy, until she finally stood right in front of him, just as she'd done that first night. Taking the risk, despite the alarm of instinct blaring in her head, she started eating the carrots out of Italy's hand. His chuckle encouraged her to continue until she was done. And when she was, Italy did something he'd tried but had never done before. He touched her. He actually touched her. She was letting him do it.

And she immediately knew the difference between this hand and the hands of every other human she'd experienced. Not only did she remember it, but she actually leaned into it. She wanted more, but on her terms of course. Fortunately, Italy seemed to read her mind again. He seemed to want a little more too, but he respected her wishes. After scratching her muzzle, he placed a kiss on it, and then one more on her star. Finally, he simply took her head in both hands, and hugged it to his own.

"You don't know how happy you've just made me, _mia cara_ ," he whispered. Though Stella couldn't say it in the way of humans, she was glad she had done so. And the two stayed in their hug until the sky was completely dark.

* * *

Italy couldn't believe he was making this sort of progress with Stella so fast. For the next few days, he continued to bring her favorite treats, and she continued to eat them right out of his hand. Not only that, but she was letting him touch her more and more every day. Just yesterday, he had finally been able to wrap his arms around her neck, and lean into her body that was now significantly bigger than his. In that moment, he understood why horses and humans had such a history together.

And tonight, he intended to take it one step further. He didn't know how Stella would react, never knew she would, but he couldn't help but hope for something good. In addition to a little more carrots than usual, he kept a couple more things in his pockets. He knew he was taking a bit of a risk. But every night in itself had been a risk. And if this night was a success... He shook his head. He was thinking too far ahead.

All he knew was that he should try and be relaxed. Even though he wasn't the best at that in tense situations, he knew horses could tell if a human was uneasy, and pick up on it. And the last thing he wanted was for everything he'd worked out with Stella to blow up in his face.

After making it to the field, he chuckled when he saw that Stella was already there. "Just couldn't wait for me this time, could you?" he asked her. He then pulled out the first handful of carrots and gave it to her. After she devoured them like she used to when she was a filly, she nudged at the pocket they'd come from, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Guess you can see right through me now, huh?" he said. But then, he gently pushed her back. "But not yet. I have a few things for you." He then reached into his other pocket, and pulled out a grooming brush. "It's high time we gave you a little fixer-upper. What do you think?"

At first, Stella tilted her head in confusion. But then, as though she finally understand, and had decided to taunt him about it, she got down on the ground and started rolling from side to side. Italy chuckled again as he put his hand through his hair. It seemed she was used to being this dirty now. But a dusty coat on a horse he knew was beautiful underneath would never do. "Come on," he urged her as she got back up. "You used to be so pretty."

Without thinking, he raised the brushed and put it to her shoulders. At first, she jumped away slightly from the bristles. Realizing his error, Italy started using the brush on his own hand. "See, it does not hurt," he said. "You used to love it when I did this." He then walked forward a little more slowly, and when it seemed Stella wouldn't jump away again, he gently put the tool on her shoulder again and began brushing her. Before long, he smiled as she leaned into it, as though she was just now remembering how good it used to feel.

He brushed her on her neck, on her shoulders, across her back, and across her stomach, on both sides. If he'd found a sensitive spot, Stella let him know with a shake of her mane or a snort. That's right. He'd forgotten about her scars. He was more gentle now, continuing to brush and groom her until he was sure every bit of dirt, dust, and sand was now gone.

"There now!" he said as he stood away from her and dusted his hands off, smiling at what his efforts had produced. "Don't you look so much prettier?"

While she could definitely have used something a bit more effective, like a bath, Italy thought he'd done a pretty good job sparking the life back into her coat, if he did say so himself, which he did. "Not a bad job I did, don't you think?"

Stella only blinked twice at him, making Italy sigh. If only she was willing to see it for herself. Well, maybe she would eventually. But for now, Italy had one more thing for the evening on his mind. And he knew this would probably spike more bad memories than the humble brush. But he decided to go for it anyway.

"I also have something else for you," he said, reminding himself to remain calm. He pulled into the same pocket, and pulled out a halter and a lead. As he expected, Stella's eyes widened a little bit, and she took a couple steps back. But Italy had already set his goal in his mind.

"It's okay," he said softly. "It's only a halter." Trying to lighten the situation, he smiled a little bit and added, "It's not like it's going to strangle you or anything." But that only got him a snort from Stella. And his smile wavered. He had a feeling she'd act like this, but he wasn't ready to give up. He slowly walked toward her, the halter and lead still in one hand. And with the other, he stroked her muzzle and began crooning to her.

"Just one more thing for tonight, _mia cara_. I promise, I won't be like those people who hurt you." Her eyes said she was willing, but he still felt the tenseness of the rest of her. Still, he continued to stroke her muzzle, then the rest of her head, and then her mane and neck. Finally, it looked like she was starting to relax. And Italy slowly put the halter over her head.

* * *

At first, the strangeness alone of the halter on her head was enough to make Stella want to pull away. But she didn't. It didn't feel rough and tightened and confining like those other ropes had been. In fact, it felt so loose she almost forgot she was wearing it. Italy then started petting her muzzle again, and she once again leaned into it.

"See? It's alright," he crooned again. He then put the lead in both hands, making Stella feel tense again. She immediately remembered the way those other humans had pulled her in all sorts of different directions at once. But Italy only pulled with the most minimal of effort. "Okay, we're just gonna go for a walk, Stella. Just follow me."

Italy then pulled only a tiny bit more, and at first, Stella wanted to back away, or stand firm at the least. This evening had started off so well. All she'd wanted were those carrots, and to see Italy again. But apparently he'd found it necessary to bring this halter with him and ask her to wear it. Besides, where was he going to take her?

But then, after seeing the near pleading look in his eyes, which looked so much like her own, Stella once again remembered how different Italy was from any other human. She had once been wild, but lost. And he'd deemed her worthy to find and tame. He'd been nothing but kind to her. And at that moment, a small voice in her head reminded her that although humans wouldn't always be easy to understand, who was she to argue if they treated her kindly and took care of her?

At the silent, gentle urging from both that voice and from Italy's look, Stella began to walk forward. And Italy walked at the same pace beside her. He didn't take her anywhere different from where they already were. Just around the field. Around in circles. But it felt relaxing and amazing to Stella, and, she assumed, to the young man at her side. Relaxing because she didn't have to leave the familiarity of her now favorite field. And amazing, because Stella found herself doing what she couldn't imagine just a few short weeks ago.

* * *

 _Reviews would be appreciated._


	4. New Lessons, New Journeys

**Umatalia: Stella**

Chapter 4 – New Lessons, New Journeys  


After another two weeks passed, spent helping Stella get used to the lead, Italy came to believe it was time he finally began to teach the mare how to carry him as a rider. Not just any rider. Only him. He knew the potential problems, and dangers, he might have to face in doing this. Stella had been living as a wild horse, and seemed only to remember harsh treatment from humans, at least at first. But now she was getting closer and closer every day to him, something he'd only allowed himself to dream of the last three years.

Still, he knew, from her perspective, that this would be asking a bit much. One wrong move could ruin all the work he'd been doing with her. But he also knew there was nothing more intimate between a horse and a human than a human riding the horse, the two of them moving together as one. If Stella would be willing to learn that from him, it would be, for Italy, the fulfillment of three years of wishing and hoping.

Today, he carried with him a saddle, bridle, and a whip. And just as soon as he'd started carrying them, he'd wished he'd spent the last three years building up some of his strength. By the time he was almost to the field, it felt like his arms were going to drop with the tack. Even so, Italy managed to drop the gear on his sitting rock. But not before he'd caught Stella standing in the field waiting for him as usual.

As he expected, the bay mare's eyes went big, and she backed up slightly. But before she could flee him entirely, Italy reached into his pocket and pulled out a few carrots. Though it took longer than had become usual for Stella to come and get them, she eventually did. While she ate, Italy stroked her star and spoke softly to her.

"I know, _mia cara_. I know all this stuff looks weird. But I've always wanted to ride you... Though, not in that way." Italy shook his head, wondering what we was thinking, and got his focus back. He'd already had a plan in his mind, knowing he had to let Stella get used to the saddle first. And actually getting the saddle on her might be a feat in itself. He knew he had to be quick. Otherwise he could spend the whole evening chasing her.

After leaving a few more carrots on the ground for her, Italy went to get the saddle. While Stella was still eating, Italy swung the saddle onto her back and quickly fastened the girth before she could react. Immediately, and wisely, he took several steps back as Stella began kicking and jumping and bucking all around, desperately trying to get the new, probably unfamiliar, thing stretching across her back. He let her romp about for a couple minutes, until she came to realize it wasn't going to fall off.

After she snorted and shook her mane, Italy cautiously made his way back to her. When he was sure it was safe, he began stroking her again. "See?" he crooned. "That didn't hurt, did it? Just one more thing. Then we can start our evening walk." Italy then showed her the bridle, and was given another wide-eyed look. But he breathed on the bit as he sometimes saw Austria do, and slowly pulled it over Stella's head like he did when he first showed her the halter.

She reacted erratically, but not as much as she did with the saddle. When he saw she was starting to get used to the bit, he gave her a couple more carrots. She quickly took them, though he could tell she was not at all used to holding the bit in her mouth and eating at the same time. He petted her again.

"There, not bad at all," he said, his tone of voice close to a whisper. Then, looking her in the eye, he added, "I'm not going to ride you today, but one day, I will. I just want to get you used to the tack for now, is all. Can you please do that for me, Stella?"

She didn't snort, or toss her head. Instead she simply stared back at him, almost as though she wanted to trust him, but didn't know if she could. To further reassure her, Italy hugged her head to his. "I know it's been such a rough few weeks, my sweet, sweet lady. But I promise, this will all pay off, and I'll finally have you back."

* * *

From the moment Stella saw what she recognized as tack, she hadn't known what to think. She knew what the saddle and bridle were used for, but she'd never carried a rider before. Italy was in essence asking her to do something she'd never done before. He'd said he only wanted her to get used to the tack for awhile, and she felt the same amount of anxiety she did when he presented her with that halter. It seemed he was always thinking of ways to get her out of her comfort zone.

But Stella found she couldn't, and didn't want to, deny how close she'd come to this human over the last few weeks. Closer to him than any other human in her life. Despite being wild and free, she had also been lonely. And this young man seemed to be able to reach into her and draw out the horse she had the feeling she was originally.

Yes, she could do this. She would do this for Italy if not for herself. No more running and hiding. Now was the time to face her future. After he finished hugging her, Italy led her toward a far edge of the field before taking the long reins attached to the saddle and going back to the rock in the center. There he stood, and took up the long whip. Stella's eyes widened. She remembered the whips those other humans used on her. But she forced herself to remain calm, as Italy seemed to be doing too.

"Just a little tap, Stella," he reassured her. Instead of the whip stinging her, as Stella had somewhat expected, it tickled. And it didn't take long for the mare to understand what he wanted her to do. Yielding to his guidance, she walked forward, and tried to think of it as what had become their evening walks. After going around in a few circles, Italy pulled lightly on the reins, and Stella once again quickly figured out what it meant. She slowed to a halt. And as soon as she did, Italy clapped.

" _Bravissimi!_ " He then hastened up to her, but not so much as to alarm her, and rewarded her with two carrots. Stella immediately took them up, and came to realize that as long as she did what Italy said, he would continue give these, and his praise, to her. She knew she was now really going against her old way of thinking, but as long as he wasn't hurting her, and Italy seemed happy with her... She was truly beginning to think this way of life might not be so bad after all.

For the rest of the evening, until the sun set completely past the horizon, Stella and Italy continued to train. The bay mare continued to follow his commands, walking, trotting, and stopping when he wanted her to. And every time she stopped, there would always be a sweet carrot waiting for her. By the time it was really starting to get dark, Italy's face was beaming brighter than the sun itself. He stroked her face one more time with one hand while holding the tack in another.

"For the first day, you've made me very proud, _mia cara_." He then kissed her on her star, and then left her alone in the field, until tomorrow. And before he even left her sight completely, Stella found herself really looking forward to the next day, something she would never have thought possible just over a month ago.

* * *

Italy could barely believe how much Stella was willing to do that first day. He felt an achievement just after getting the saddle on her. If the two of them had at least half the value of what had happened today for the following days, it probably wouldn't be too long before he could finally get on her and ride her. Maybe before winter completely set in. Of course, despite himself, he had to be patient. If not for himself then for Stella. And even if the next few days, or weeks, was just spent doing the same thing over and over, he knew it would result in something great.

And so the following few days passed in the same routine. After tacking her, Italy would lead Stella around the field from his sitting rock, tapping her with the whip if he wanted her to walk or trot, and tugging the reins if he wanted her to stop. Every time she stopped, he would reward her with a carrot or two, which he knew he had to be more discreet about taking if Austria just happened to want a dish with them someday.

But it was worth it every time. After two more weeks passed, Italy finally gave into the urge to ask the mare to canter. And, once again in spite of his expectations, Stella went into it with barely a hint of any hesitation, if she had any at all. Italy didn't know what to think. Was this truly the same horse who'd been too timid to approach him, let alone let him touch her, almost a month ago? He knew his eyes were telling him yes, but the rest of him was slow to catch on.

And finally, after days and days of getting her used to the tack, Italy knew the moment had come. It was at last time to see if she could now tolerate carrying him. As he carried the gear with him, he quickly thought of a best and worst case scenario. At best, Stella would be just as excited as he was, and would even let him ride her beyond the field this very day. At worst...at worst, she would most likely throw him.

Italy shook his head profusely. No, she wouldn't do that, not after how close they'd become...would she? But as soon as he saw her, he forced any negative thoughts from his mind, and concentrated only on how excited the idea was actually making him. Stella seemed to pick up on it as she tossed her head at him and whinnied in greeting, making Italy smile the biggest he had so far.

After he tacked her, he again looked her in the eye, reminding himself not to be nervous, and spoke softly to her. "Stella, you've made me as happy as a siesta streaker with your progress. But, I think it's time I finally ride you." She blinked at him, and her ears twitched. He frowned. "I know you've never done this before. But it'll be just like what we've been doing every evening. Except, I'll be on top of you."

He stroked her muzzle one more time, then went to her side. Taking a deep breath, he took the reins and quickly hoisted himself up. As he expected, Stella immediately tensed and started side-stepping a little bit. Italy stroked her neck in an attempt to calm her. "Easy. Just say still, please. It's okay." Gradually, he felt her calm down, until she was finally standing still. His heart by now pounding in both anxiety and excitement, Italy gripped the riding crop in his hand and gave Stella a gentle tap. And right as he did, she started walking forward, with him on her.

For a while, as they went around the field together, Italy didn't know if he could believe what was happening right in front of him. Stella, who had once been too timid to approach him several weeks ago, was now letting him ride her. Curious to see if she would do more for him, he gave her another light tap. And with little to no hesitation, the beautiful bay mare went into a trot. Italy had to remind himself to lock his knees to her sides so he wouldn't fall out. Before long, after a few more circles, he gave into an increasingly tempting idea, and gave her one more tap with the riding crop.

As Stella then broke into a canter, Italy had to bite his lip to keep from crying out in joy. He couldn't help but be amazed by how the once wild mare seemed now willing to do so much for him. He knew he still had to be gentle in his continued training of her, but what was happening before him seemed like a miracle. For the rest of the shortening evening, he let her do as she wished, carrying him around the field as though she'd been doing so forever. And it was here that he forever wanted to stay.

But he knew nonetheless that it couldn't last. When the sun finished setting, Italy tugged the reins and pulled Stella to a complete stop. As soon as she did, he leaned forward and threw his arms around her neck. She sidestepped a little bit, but as soon as he started petting her, she quickly calmed down.

"I knew you were more than beautiful, _mia cara_ ," he said softly as he ran his fingers through her black mane. "I knew the real you was in there somewhere." He then hugged her slightly tighter and closed his eyes, savoring her warm coat against his cheek. "I've missed you, Stella. Thank you for coming back to me."

* * *

From that day forward, whenever Stella saw Italy, she gave a delighted whinny. She never tired of his gentle hand and sweet carrots. She never dreamed she could be so close to a human, not just in physical proximity but emotionally. And despite what she might have thought only a few months ago, she began to enjoy their near daily rides as well. Within a few weeks, they had gone from making circles around their meeting field to exploring the other fields beyond. There was always something new to see and experience, not just for herself, but for the one she was now becoming proud to call her rider.

Before long though, Stella had begun to notice the yearly change, not just in the air but the surrounding areas. The morning birds had now ceased to sing their daily songs. At dawn, the ground was sometimes covered with frost. Winter was coming. The nights were getting colder. And a whole new set of memories that plagued Stella every year came back to haunt her again.

Many nights she had long since lost count of spent finding any warm place to stay, even if it wasn't much better than the elements around it. During her first year free of the humans who had captured her, she'd wondered every chilling night if she was going to survive till the following morning. And every time winter returned, the same sense of desperation always came with it.

Stella was just beginning to feel it when, one early evening, Italy came for her without his usual tack. She nonetheless approached him, settling into his warm embrace against her growing winter coat. After their greeting, Italy took her head in his hands, neither smiling nor frowning. "Stella, I know you may not like what I'm about to say, but it's getting too cold for me to let you stay out here." He was right. Stella didn't immediately like where this was going. But she kept listening. "I have a safe place for you though. There's a warm shed not far from here where I can keep you. I'll see you as much as I can. But I need you to come with me."

Once again, he was asking her to stray away from her comfort zone. Despite all the wonderful days they'd spent together, Stella's old uncertainty crept back in, and she looked away. Italy gently pulled her back to face him. "Stella, you're _mia cara_. I would never let anything bad happen to you. You should know that by now. And it's just going to be until spring comes again. You'll be safe."

His comforting voice, as usual, seemed to draw her out of her shell. And before she knew it, Italy was holding a halter with a lead in front of her. His large amber eyes silently asked her to once again trust him. And as Stella finally allowed herself to remember how far they'd come, she knew she couldn't allow herself to disappoint him now, not after all he'd done to help her. She let him put the halter on, and he was soon leading her out of the field, toward an unknown place she'd never ventured into.

A new series of nearly forgotten scents made their way toward Stella. Leather, hay, horses. Wait, there were horses here? Though she couldn't see them, she could smell them. The mare raised her head to call out to them, but Italy quickly pulled it back down and gently shushed her. Though she didn't know why he'd do that, Stella did as he said and continued to follow him. Before too long, they came to what Stella assumed was the shed. She'd recognized it as one, and it seemed big enough to hold her. But even as she walked toward it, she couldn't help but wonder if the cold of wintery nights long past would once again chill her to her bones.

But then, as soon as she saw the inside of the shed, a new, more pleasant series of memories came back to Stella. Instead of deathly cold nights spent in simple small caves, she had the vague recollection of sleeping on soft, warm hay, surrounded by familiarity and affection. In front of her was a single stall with fresh hay laid out, food she recognized as oats in one bucket, and water in another. Letting go of any previous tension, Stella allowed Italy to lead her into the stall.

Italy took the halter off and laid a refreshingly warm blanket across her back. Soothed by the renewed warmth to her coat and Italy's tender hands, Stella let her now tired legs fold underneath her onto the floor. Italy sat down next to her, and continued to stroke her head and her neck, crooning to her as he did in her more timid days.

"I knew you'd like it, _mia bella_ ," he smiled. He then offered her a couple of carrots, which Stella gladly took up. But his gentle touch never left her. And before long, he even began singing that old song that Stella immediately recognized. The one that had drawn her to him on that very first day, which now seemed almost a lifetime ago.

"Draw a circle, that's the earth. Draw a circle, that's the earth. Draw a circle, that's the earth. I am Hetalia. All the world around us can be seen through the stroke of a single brush. And now we give a toast with our boots. Hetalia..." Stella continued to lean into the young man as he went on with his song, in his sweet tenor voice. And soon, before either of them knew it, they'd fallen asleep against each other.

* * *

 _Reviews would be appreciated._


	5. River Rescue

**Umatalia: Stella**

Chapter 5 – River Rescue  


And so, every evening, at the same time they usually met, Stella was escorted by Italy to the shed she'd found more comfortable, warm, and homely than any cave she'd previously been in. And early every morning, he would release her. Stella wondered why Italy had set up this pattern of taking her in and then letting her out every day. But the conditions he'd set up for her were so nice that she didn't bother to ask. She couldn't anyway.

But that wasn't all she saw of him. Every other day, Italy would take her on a riding exercise through the fields they'd both come to love. But every time she left the shed to do so, Stella was quickly drawn to the now familiar scent of nearby horses. She'd wanted to call out to them, and tried to on one occasion, but Italy hastily shushed her.

"Not yet, _mia cara_ ," he said to her. "But I promise, you will soon be back together with them. Maybe even your mamma." He smiled as he said this, but Stella was somewhat confused. Did he mean her mother? Stella barely even remembered what her mother looked like. Could she be living somewhere near her? And had she only just figured it out? But before she could think on it further, Italy led the bay mare toward the fields.

For many days that turned into weeks, the cold continued to drag on, and Stella became more and more anxious to meet those horses. Before she knew it though, the days slowly started to get warmer. And then came one that she didn't know until later would change her entire life, as much as it had been all those years ago.

As soon as frost stopped appearing on the ground, and the birds had returned to sing their morning songs, Italy arrived with her usual tack. But something was different about him. Stella could tell by an excited tension exuding from his face that she'd never before seen in him. As he put the gear on her, he spoke with a matching tone.

"Today's the day, Stella! Now I can finally prove you to Austria, Hungary, and even my big brother! What do you think?!" Stella's ear's twitched in confusion. Who were those people Italy was talking about? She'd heard them mentioned by him every now and then, but she never paid as much attention until now. Judging by Italy's behavior, they must have been pretty important. But Stella didn't have much time to think about it. As soon as all the tack was on, Italy took her head in his hands and spoke to her more softly.

"I know they might seem weird, but don't be nervous. I'll be right there with you, okay?" He smiled and gave her a kiss on her star before leading her out of the shed. He then led her further to the center of the adjoining field, and in the distance, Stella could make out three figures. They were three humans. Two males and one female. And as they got closer, with amazed looks on their faces, Stella didn't completely recognize them. But as she knew when she first met Italy, she'd known somewhere that she'd seen these humans before.

The first male was tall, with dark brown hair and an intelligent looking face. He wore an old-style navy military suit and looked the most surprised out of all three of them. The female looked somewhat pretty, with long wavy, light brown hair and eyes as green as the grass underneath. But the other male made Stella's eyes widen in surprise. He looked a lot like Italy, and even had the same curling hair strand and style of dress. But instead of looking kind and sweet like Italy did, he had a darker look on his face. Despite Italy's previous reassurances, Stella became nervous.

"Don't tell me this is..." The first male trailed off, his mouth hanging open. But Italy quickly answered for him.

" _Si!_ " he exclaimed. "I told you! It's Stella! And she's all grown up just like I said!" He stroked her neck as he spoke.

"But...but how can this really be her?" the female asked. "How did you find her? Where has she been all this time?"

"I know it's her because of her star, I found her a few months ago, and I have no idea!" Italy replied. "Besides, isn't it most important that she's back? I've even trained her to let me ride her!"

"You vat?" Austria asked. "You expect me to believe zat you've not only tamed but _trained_ a vild horse, Italy!"

"She's not wild anymore!" Italy said, his smile starting to waver. "And I can prove it! I've saddled her and she'll only let me ride her!"

"Then there's the flaw in your reasoning!" the rougher male who looked like Italy suddenly said. "How can she be considered tame if she will only let _you_ ride her?"

This time, Italy frowned. "But I've been training her for weeks! No offense Romano but, couldn't you give me a break?"

Stella's eyes then grew wide as the young man known as Romano grabbed Italy by the collar. "Don't ever say that to me again, little brother!"

"Okay, but, could you let me go?!" Italy asked, sounding desperate to be let free. "You're scaring Stella!"

Romano then roughly let him go, a smug smirk on his face as he then looked at the mare. Stella backed up a couple steps away from him.

"Yet further proof that she isn't completely tame!" he said. "But, who's to say I can't make her feel better?" He then strode up to Stella, who by now didn't know if she could even move, and reached for the top of her mane, where her curling strand of hair was. Italy raced forward to stop him.

"Wait, Romano!" he cried out. But he was too late. Romano pulled on the strand, and Stella felt an immediate wave of fright shoot through her. This was too much. Letting all of her previous instincts return full force, the mare shot forward, but not before Romano got out of the way. Her heart raced as her powerful legs carried her across the field toward the trees, letting out a neigh of fear and fury. She didn't know where she was headed. She just wanted to get away from there.

As soon as she entered the trees, she heard Italy cry out behind her. "Stop Stella! Stella! Stop!" But Stella just neighed and kept going, galloping through the shadows as fast as she could, and trying to avoid the steep slope that she then came across. Still, she heard Italy follow her from behind. She was just about to get out of his reach when she then heard him cry out, not after her, but in shock. She heard in quick succession thuds on the ground, leaves being hit on, and a hard splash in the still cold river below.

Stella finally slowed to a complete halt, and her eyes widened when she looked to see that Italy had fallen into the fast flowing water. She neighed in panic as Italy tried to scream but was swallowed up again and again by the raging river. And in that moment, Stella knew what she had to do.

She was tired of being scared, always running away, always being a coward. She might have a complicated relationship with humans, but Italy had done so much for her, and now he was in danger. He'd practically saved her. Now she needed to save him. There was nothing else she could possibly do.

* * *

Italy couldn't breathe. Every time he opened his mouth, water flooded in. And whenever he tried to pull himself above water, he was quickly pulled back under again. He had to find someway out, soon. If he didn't... Italy's attention was then diverted to the enormous splash he then heard. Daring to open his eyes, he gasped when he saw none other than Stella trying to swim his way, despite Romano's less than honorable intentions, despite wanting to run away.

He tried to swim toward her, but the current was too strong. "Stella!" he cried out before being swept under again. He flailed his arms and moved his legs, trying desperately to swim, only to get more and more tired with every effort. Still, Stella continued to make her way to him. Italy coughed and spat out as much water as he could, looking at the same time for somewhere to go. There! A rock in the middle of the water. And he only had one shot to take hold of it.

Gathering every ounce of strength, Italy grabbed hold of the rock for dear life. He only then realized it was going to take more strength to hang on. His chest hurt, being filled with so much water, and he was getting more and more exhausted. But just then, Stella came into his view once again, and he cried out to her one more time. "Stella! Help me!"

As soon as he did, Italy could feel every bit of his strength leaving him, but he continued to hold on, even as his fingers began to slip. Suddenly, he heard a nearby neigh, and the moment he saw Stella's black mane, he grabbed hold of it the same way he did the rock. He hastily clammered onto her back, hoping desperately that she wouldn't sink under the weight of both him and the saddle. By now, he was so tired he wanted to fall asleep. But he forced himself to stay awake as Stella battled the current. Before he knew it, they finally seemed to reach stable ground, and Italy held on tightly to Stella's mane as she carried them both out of the river.

* * *

Stella huffed with worn out effort as she at last made her way out of the water, moving slowly to make sure Italy stayed on her. She soon found a less steep part of the slope, and carefully climbed up until they'd left the aquatic trap behind them. She'd done it, she'd saved Italy. But as she continued to walk back the way she'd run, and Italy continued to hold on to her, Stella became anxious as she felt the young man shiver on top of her, and began to cough.

As he heaved up the water that had been trapped in his lungs, Stella walked slightly faster. As much as Romano set her on edge, she still believed the two other humans might help Italy. They had to. She couldn't lose the one human who'd coaxed her out of her shell to become fully alive again.

Fortunately, she didn't have to walk all the way back to the field. Austria and Hungary hurried up the path toward them, both looking not only worried, but frightened.

"Italy!" Hungary gasped in shock. "Austria, help him!" Austria wasted no time, hauling Italy off. By now, Stella could see he was awfully pale, sopping wet, and shaking from the cold. She wanted to go to him, but Hungary quickly took hold of her by the bridle. Still, she snorted. Anything to get Italy to hear her.

He then opened his eyes. After smiling at Austria, Italy directed it at the mare. "Stella did it," he managed to say. "She saved me. If it weren't for her, I'd have been drowned pasta shrimp." Now Austria and Hungary smiled, chuckling at what Italy said. But Italy then went into another coughing fit.

"Vell, no pasta for you right now," Austria said. "Ze only thing you're seeing is a doctor." He then turned to the woman beside Stella and said, "Hungary, take the mare to ze stables and dry her off, _bitte_."

Hungary smiled. "Only because you said please." Austria nodded. He then turned and hurried down the pathway as fast as he could, taking the now unconscious Italy with him. Stella neighed anxiously, but she then felt a gentle hand against her neck. She turned to Hungary, desperation filling her. She didn't want to be left alone. But even more, she didn't want to leave Italy.

"It's alright, Stella," Hungary spoke softly to her. "Mr. Austria knows what he's doing. You yourself need to be dried off. We can't have you getting sick, too." She then tugged lightly on the bridle and added, "Come now. I know you've only just met me. But I'm going to take care of you as I'm sure Italy has been."

Stella did admit she liked the sound of that. And she wanted to see Italy again as soon as possible. Somewhat reluctantly, she allowed the pretty woman to lead her back through the trees and to the fields. Just then, Stella remembered someone else, someone she didn't like, might be here. She quickly began to look around, but Hungary petted her head. "Don't worry. Romano won't be bothering you for a long time." This she said with a sneaky smile, making Stella wonder what she was talking about.

After leading her to the shed, it wasn't long before Stella was completely dry, the sopping tack replaced with a new, warm blanket and halter. Hungary's gentle and sweet manner and voice made Stella decide she liked the woman, who never stopped stroking her neck to make sure she was calm.

"Italy has definitely done a good job," she said. "And you've certainly grown into a beauty of a mare. But, Austria wants me to take you to the stables. I'm sure you won't mind that, won't you?" The stables... Could the other horses possibly be there? Would Hungary take her to meet them? The woman seemed to notice the sudden spark that traveled through her. She smiled and chuckled. "I don't think we'll have a problem at all." She then clipped the lead to Stella's halter, and led her outside the shed and toward the other fields beyond, where Stella had always wanted to go.

The fields themselves were fenced in, with only a few horses out that Stella didn't recognize. Even so, it felt wonderful to finally be among some of her own kind again. She called out to them, and she was filled with joy as they neighed back to her. Hungary laughed. "Wait till you see the other horses. I'm sure they'll adore you!"

They then made their way to a large barn. Hungary opened the large doors, and Stella was instantly bombarded with familiar scents of hay, leather, and...a scent she thought she'd forgotten but quickly recognized. She looked left, and her eyes widened with disbelief when she saw the one horse she'd been longing to see. The older mare returned the look, almost as though it were a mirror image. But Stella knew very well who this horse really was.

 _Aurora?_ she asked. _My mother? Could it be...?_ The mare continued to return Stella's amazed expression, almost as though she thought what she was seeing must be a dream.

 _Stella... You- You're alive? And...you've returned?_ Though Hungary still held her, she allowed Stella to move toward Aurora, and the two quickly touched noses, nickering and loving on each other.

 _Oh, my daughter, how I've missed you! And how much you've grown! What happened? Where have you been all this time?_

 _It's a long story_ , Stella replied. _I'll tell you later, as soon as Hungary gets me settled. But I will say this. The best part is finally seeing you again!_

* * *

"I promise, Mr. Austria," Italy said as he pulled on his riding boots. "It'll just be for today. Then I will show you how Stella rides. We just need some time alone for now."

"Oh, alright," Austria sighed. "But you're not going anywhere near zat river. Get it?"

"Got it!" Italy then stood up and saluted him. For a whole week he'd been confined to his bed, forced to obey the doctor's orders that he stay in it and drink plenty of liquids. And the whole time he'd been like a stallion tempted to race out whenever no one was looking. Though there were a few sneezes still left in him, he finally convinced Austria – or rather, begged him – to let him go riding. Fortunately, he had the doctor's "okay" to back him up.

"But I'm going to have some pasta waiting for me as soon as I get back here!" he added.

"Don't push it," Austria warned him. "I'm not the one who nearly drowned in ze river. Now, if you're going to go, go. It might get dark soon!"

" _Grazie_ , Mr. Austria!" Italy smiled. He then raced through the house and outside toward the barn, where Stella had now been staying. He regretted missing what he heard from Hungary was a wonderful reunion between Stella and Aurora, but as soon as he opened the door and heard Stella's greeting whinny, he knew he would never regret her saving his life.

"What do you think Stella?" he asked as he got to her stall. "It's been a long time since we last rode so I got a little dressed up. Don't you like it?" Instead of standard riding clothes, Italy wore a white shirt, a black vest and tie, black breeches, and polished boots to match. He also wore gloves and a wide-brimmed hat instead of a helmet, since he never really liked helmets anyway. Stella whinnied again, making Italy laugh.

After he brought her out, saddled, and bridled her, he then took hold of her head and pressed his cheek to it. "You really have come back to me, just like I knew you would," he said. "People have told me to forget about you. But an Italian and a Maremmano horse can never be separated. At least, not for long!" Stella tossed her head slightly as if nodding in agreement. Italy chuckled and kissed her on her star.

Before long, the two were taking what was probably their best ride ever. The temperature was perfect. Not too hot and not too cold. The sky was a clear blue. The newly green fields were full of life, both flora and fauna of all kinds. Italy felt truly alive as he and Stella cantered and galloped through the countryside of his homeland. He felt as though he could go on forever, staying one with his favorite horse in all the world.

Toward noon though, Italy did finally let Stella slow to a halt, just to take in the view. They had stopped on a hilltop. And all around them they could see endless meadows, emerald green forests, and mountains looming in the distance. Italy stood tall and proud as he breathed in the sweet, earthy scent of the sights all around him, taking in the magnificent wonder that was the Maremma region itself, the place where Grandpa Rome had started breeding Stella's kind millennia ago.

" _Molto bella_ , isn't it, _mia cara_?" he asked her. "And it's beautiful, because it's home."

Though Italy and Stella couldn't speak each other's language, what they both knew for sure about the other transcended it. Stella now knew for certain that she was never going to be alone again. Would never aimlessly wander the wilderness wondering if she would survive to see the next day. She would never forget those times. But she now looked with hope toward the future. She had finally arrived. She was home. And even better. She was home with Italy.

 **The End**

* * *

 _Reviews would be appreciated._


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